Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-22
DETROIT is NOW CHAMPION.
AMERICAN SHIPPING.

Tho Shipping and Industrial League
I'm Convention at Boston.
Boston, Oct. 21.-The convention of the
American Shipping and Industrial league
met here to-day, Otis Inman of the Boston
chamber of commerce presiding. Mayor
O'Brien welcomed the delegates. J. F. Bliss
was chosen secretary. Ten States were rep
resented by thirty-two organizations and one
hundred and fifty delegates. R. S. Spofford,
of Massachusetts,, was chosen president and
made an address, in which ne discussed the
decline of American shipping and the vari-
measures which had been proposed for its
resuscitation. Mr.. Sperry, of Connecticut,
read the statistics of American tonnage as
last reported, showing startling decrease
since 1850. If the United States will have
its commerce restored they must meet Great
Britain on its own ground of bourties and
subsidies-fre with FIRE We had no reason
to be ATTAINED of the terms
Hon. W. w. Grape, of New Bedford, said
the absence of the American flag from foreign
ports was humiliating to America with ten
thousand miles of coast, ample material,
skilled artisans and an adventurous popula-
ten. Free trade will not be the remedy
Our ships must be on an equality. Thirty
cents per ton for one Thousand miles of ocean
sailing he did not believe to be extravagant;
it was meagre It was not question of ma
tional pride, but of prosperity. A general
European war might stimulate American
maritime interests, which was as important
to the farmer as to the seaman, but it would
prove but temporary. He gave the present
movement his hearty Endorsement.
Hon. Nelson DiRgley, of Maine, believed
that such meetings these were moulding
public sentiment to the pitch of compelling
Congress to act rightly 1t wrs not the shipping
industry alone that was at stake, it was our
naval importance in the event of danger from
outside. AS we were, We were next to
powerless. Our coastwise and interior ma
rine had prospered; it was the tonnage in the
foreign trade that had been wiped out. They
stood on the same basis except in one par
ticulsr. The coastwise trade was amply
protected while the foreign trade was open
to all.
Hon. o. B. Potter, of New York, said that |
he found no difficulty in this question be- |
cause of his being a Democrat. What was |
proposed was the restoration of our naval |
power and with it our commercial marine. /
There is not an acre of land in the West the /
dIuO VI WuLCu WILL uOb U0 6uuAuccu ny tQ6 1
restoration of our shipping interest. |
he had no interest in the |
shipping trade, but he was will /
ng that his property should be |
axed to whatever extent was necessary to re-
tore our commerce. He confessed that he |
lad been chagrined that the Democratic lead |
'rs had not come to the requisite standard in
:ayoring American as against foreign vessels
n the carrying of our mails. 1t was the duty
# the Union to restore it.
The Hon. Charles Levi Woodbury. said that
le thoroughly sympsthized with the move
nent to restore our marine. AS a remedy |
or our present depression he found that the
drawback provision relative to the mate
ial entering into our shibuilding
lad proved Inadequate. We have been
upine in our foreign policy. The old policy
# removing Discrimination against foreign |
onnage was very good before the great
hange in commerce, but since then nothing |
las been done to put us on equality.
There is sympathy in Congress with our
commercial interests and it is not limited to
my section or class.
Tbs chairman was empowered to appoint
i've delegates to attend the various national |
md district conventions and the meeting ad-
burned until tomorrow afternoon.